Wolf Management Advisory Council to meet February 19

Sunday

Feb 10, 2013 at 10:00 AM

Michigan’s Wolf Management Advisory Council will meet Tuesday, Feb. 19 from 1-5 p.m. at the Little Bear Arena, located at 275 Marquette St. in St. Ignace.

The Wolf Management Advisory Council (previously known as the Wolf Forum) was codified under a law passed by the Legislature in December 2012 that reclassified wolves as a game species and directed the WMAC to report its recommendations on wolf management annually to the Legislature and the Natural Resources Commission. The NRC has the authority to determine whether public harvest of wolves should be allowed and to regulate season structure and method of harvest.

The WMAC includes members from a diverse group of organizations with an interest in wolves and wolf management, including hunting, conservation, tribal government, agriculture and animal advocacy.

At the February 19 meeting, staff from the Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Division will gather input from council members regarding future wolf management activities, including the use of hunting to manage and resolve conflict issues. The 2008 Wolf Management Plan will serve as the guide for these discussions.

Members of the public are welcome to observe the council’s discussions and will have the opportunity to provide written comments at the meeting. The DNR will also host a series of public meetings around the state in March to provide information on wolf management and receive public input regarding the public harvest of wolves. Dates and locations of those meetings will be widely publicized once determined.

For more information about the WMAC meeting, contact the council’s DNR liaison Adam Bump at 517-373-1263. To learn more about Michigan's wolf population and Wolf Management Plan, visit www.michigan.gov/wolves.